Energy-efficient solar-powered outdoor lighting

Abstract

One or more outdoor lights may operate independently with sensing and control processes mainly on-pole, or may communicate as a networked array of poles, wherein a master/coordinating pole/node transmits signals from the networked array to a control station, and receive signals from the control station for the networked array, via call phone and/or satellite. Independent poles and/or the networked array of poles may be adapted for energy-saving processes; cooperation with the grid; renewable power production and storage by means of solar panels and associated batteries; and/or to provide Wi-Fi hot-spots, public safety alarms, information or data-analysis to the public or customers. An energy-saving active control system controls charging of the batteries and distribution of energy from the solar panel and/or the batteries, so that the batteries remain undamaged, and the light(s) remain operation even during the winter or other long periods of clouds and diffuse light. The active control of energy distribution by a load controller function may include dimming during the night, except when sensors detect motion, and, in extreme cloudy or diffuse-light periods, increasing increments of dimming and/or load shedding, to preserve the batteries and operability.

1 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system comprising:
 a flexible photovoltaic solar collector panel curved at least part way around a generally cylindrical light pole and attached to the light pole so that the panel is generally vertical;   a luminaire connected to the pole;   at least one battery operatively connected to the solar collector panel and the luminaire;   an active controller system comprising a maximum power point tracking charge controller adapted to charge said at least one battery, and a load controller adapted for management of energy delivery to said luminaire, wherein said management of energy delivery is adapted to turn on, turn off, dim and brighten said luminaire;   at least one motion sensor connected to said pole and operatively connected to said load controller;   wherein said load controller is adapted, in response to said motion sensor sensing motion near the pole when the luminaire is in a dimmed state, to increase power to said luminaire to brighten said luminaire at least while said motion is detected.   
     
     
         2 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active controller is adapted to dim said luminaire when said at least one battery falls to a battery voltage in the range of 1-2 volts above a minimum safe battery voltage, said minimum safe battery voltage being a voltage below which battery damage occurs. 
     
     
         3 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said solar-collector has an efficiency in sunshine in the range of 10-16%. 
     
     
         4 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said solar-collector is amorphous silicon (non-crystalline) photovoltaic material having an efficiency in sunshine in the range of 10-16%. 
     
     
         5 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active controller system is adapted to determine an amount to dim said luminaire, during a nighttime at least when said at least one motion sensor is not sensing motion near the pole, based on battery voltage of said at least one battery at dusk prior to said nighttime. 
     
     
         6 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active control system is adapted to determine an amount to dim said luminaire, during a nighttime at least when said at least one motion sensor is not sensing motion near the pole, based on energy production in amp-hours by said solar collector panel in a previous time period comprising one or more days. 
     
     
         7 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active control system is adapted to determine an amount to dim said luminaire, during a nighttime at lease when said at least one motion sensor is not sensing motion near the pole, based on historical data of energy collection by the solar collector over a period one year earlier. 
     
     
         8 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , comprising multiple batteries and the active control system is adapted to disconnect any battery that fails. 
     
     
         9 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active controller system is adapted to turn on said luminaire and bring said luminaire to full brightness at said dusk, and then dim the luminaire down to 25% or less brightness down after a predetermined amount of time and throughout the nighttime except for times during the nighttime when said at least one motion sensor senses motion near said pole. 
     
     
         10 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active controller system is adapted to turn on said luminaire at dusk at a reduced brightness in the range of 50%-80% of full brightness, to dim the luminaire down to less than 25% brightness after a predetermined amount of time throughout the nighttime except for times during the nighttime when said at least one motion sensor senses motion near said pole. 
     
     
         11 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 10 , wherein said load controller is adapted, in response to said motion sensor sensing motion near the pole when the luminaire is in a dimmed state, to increase power to said luminaire to brighten said LEDs to 50-80% of full brightness while said motion is detected. 
     
     
         12 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active controller system is adapted to turn on said luminaire at dusk at a reduced brightness in the range of 50-80% of full brightness, and then dim the luminaire down to a range of 7.5%-25% of full brightness after a predetermined amount of time and throughout the nighttime except for times when said at least one motion sensor sensed motion near said pole. 
     
     
         13 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , further comprising peripheral devices on said pole powered by said at least one battery, and wherein said active controller system is adapted to shed loads connected to the battery by turning off said peripheral devices to conserve battery energy. 
     
     
         14 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said active controller system is adapted to brighten said luminaire in response to said at least one motion detector only when said motion is below about 10 feet from the ground and only when said motion is not continuous. 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling an outdoor lighting system comprising:
 providing a flexible solar collector panel curved at least part way around a generally cylindrical light pole so that the solar collector is generally vertical;   providing a luminaire connected to the pole;   providing at least one battery operatively connected to the solar collector panel and the luminaire;   providing at least one motion sensor on said pole;   actively controlling energy delivery from said at least one battery to said luminaire, by turning on, dimming and turning off said luminaire according to at least one mode of operation, said at least one mode of operation comprising a normal operation mode comprising turning said luminaire on at dusk to full brightness for a first predetermined amount of time, and, after said first predetermined amount of time, dimming said luminaire to a first fraction of said full brightness, until said at least one motion sensor detects a motion event near said pole and then increasing energy delivery to said luminaire for a second predetermined amount of time, followed by reducing energy delivery to said luminaire to dim said luminaire, so that the luminaire is dimmed to less than full brightness in between motion events.   
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising actively controlling energy delivery from said at least one battery to said luminaire by increasing energy delivery to said luminaire for a third predetermined amount of time before dawn so that said luminaire remain at full brightness until dawn. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 15 , comprising dimming said luminaire when said at least one battery falls to a battery voltage in the range of 1-2 volts above a minimum safe battery voltage, said minimum safe battery voltage being a voltage below which battery damage occurs. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein said solar collector has an efficiency in bright sunshine in the range of 10-16%. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 15  wherein said solar-collector is amorphous silicon photovoltaic material having an efficiency in bright sunshine in the range of 10-16%. 
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising determining an amount to dim said luminaire, during a nighttime when said at least one motion sensor is not sensing motion near the pole, based on a method comprising measuring battery voltage of said at least one battery at dusk prior to said nighttime. 
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising determining an amount to dim said luminaire, during a nighttime when said at least one motion sensor is not sensing motion near the pole, based on a method comprising measuring and recording energy production in amp-hours by said solar collector panel in a previous time period comprising one or more days. 
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising determining an amount to dim said luminaire, during a nighttime when said at least one motion sensor is not sensing motion near the pole, based on a method comprising measuring and recording historical data of energy collection by the solar collector panel over a period one year earlier. 
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein said first fraction is 25% or less of full brightness. 
     
     
         24 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein a plurality of batteries are provided and the method further comprises disconnected selected batteries of said plurality of batteries when said selected batteries fail. 
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising not raising brightness of said luminaire in response to motion detected above about 10 from the ground and not raising brightness of said luminaire in response to continuous motion. 
     
     
         26 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein said at least one mode of operation includes at least one energy-saving mode comprising turning said luminaire on at dusk to a second fraction of full brightness for said first predetermined amount of time, and then dimming said luminaire to a further-reduced third fraction of full brightness, until said at least one motion sensor detects a motion event near said pole and then increasing energy delivery to said luminaire for said second predetermined amount of time to said second fraction of full brightness, and, when said at least one motion sensor no longer detects said motion event, reducing energy delivery to said luminaire to dim said luminaire again to said third fraction of full brightness, so that the luminaire is dimmed to said third fraction of full brightness in between motion events. 
     
     
         27 . A method as in  claim 26 , wherein said second fraction of full brightness is in the range of 50%-80% of full brightness, and said third fraction is 7.5%-25% of full brightness. 
     
     
         28 . A method as in  claim 26 , comprising brightening said luminaire to said third fraction of full brightness for a third predetermined amount of time before dawn. 
     
     
         29 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible photovoltaic solar collector panel curves at least 180 degrees around the generally cylindrical light pole. 
     
     
         30 . A method of controlling an outdoor lighting system as in  claim 15 , wherein the flexible solar collector panel curves at least 180 degrees around the generally cylindrical light pole. 
     
     
         31 . A solar-powered outdoor lighting system as in  claim 1 , wherein said luminaire comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         32 . A method of controlling an outdoor lighting system as in  claim 15 , wherein said luminaire comprises light emitting diodes (LEDs).